Renault battery swopping could change the future of e-vehicles
Have you ever considered purchasing an e-vehicle? There are so many great reasons to invest in an electric car – it’s better for the environment, requires less frequent maintenance, and runs much more quietly.
However, if you have read up about this option extensively, you may have come across a few points of friction – AKA the things that normally deter would-be e-vehicle buyers from making the switch. Aside from a lack of charging infrastructure in developing countries like South Africa, there are also other factors to consider. This includes waiting times at recharging stations, as well as depreciating battery capacity and -value.
Groupe Renault, the international parent company overarching the Renault brand, is now considering the development of tech solutions that will address these ownership hurdles in particular. CEO Luca de Meo recently stated as much during a three-day virtual summit hosted by the Financial Times, called ‘Future of the Car’.
De Meo shared with delegates that Renault is now returning to an idea that it had played with more than a decade ago, but never came to fruition. The idea is to allow drivers to swap recharged batteries for spent ones quickly and easily, which will cut down on waiting times during recharging sessions.
The big challenge with something like this lies in finding a way to make it safe for a driver to separate an e-car’s high-voltage battery from the car. Once they can make this work, this swapping tech will also allow auto brands to decouple the costs of batteries from new e-vehicles. This will then address the concern regarding battery value and capacity in the long run.
Initiatives like these underpin Renault’s long-term goal to increase the sales of electric vehicles and move towards greater overall sustainability by decreasing the factory space it uses, and relooking it’s brand stable to bring future-proof vehicles to market.
DID YOU KNOW? All-electric cars feature something called ‘regenerative braking’. This means that every time you brake, some electricity goes back into the battery. In fact, braking actually helps to get more miles from the car, enabling you to drive further.
How exciting! Keep an eye on the blog for more news from Groupe Renault; we will be sharing news on design innovations and new model improvements as it becomes available. In the meantime, feel free to get in touch with our team of seasoned sales professionals to learn more about the models we currently have on our showroom floors. Drive the change and discover a passion for life with Group1 Renault.
